Work handling

ABSTRACT

Appartus suitable for use in conjunction with a container in which one or more plants is growing and associated with it a device for recieving an enquiry signal and automatically responding by transmitting an unique identifier signal the apparatus comprising
         (a) transporter means by which a container may be supported for moving the container,   (b) means for transmitting the enquiry signal,   (c) means for recording the identifier signal as a digital output and   (d) computer means to which the digital output is supplied for storage of the data in prescribed format in a database for manipulation to afford comparsion of data related to the container.

This invention relates to handling of containers in which one or moreplants is growing and is especially concerned with automated handling ofplant pots in a greenhouse.

Plants grown in greenhouses are amenable to automated handling becausethey are usually grown in containers such as pots that can be easilytransported to and from automation devices. Greenhouses can be equippedwith automated systems for transporting plants in and out of the growingarea in the greenhouse. Automation is an attractive option ingreenhouses because it permits reduction in labour costs whilstrendering particular operations more uniform, reliable and lesserror-prone and allowing speed-up of the execution of particular tasks.In order for automation to run in a reliable, efficient and unattendedway, plants must be identifiable by the automation devices.

Identification of plants in the horticultural industry is a commonpractice. The most widely used identification systems are either coloredlabels, text-printed labels or bar-coded labels.

As automated transporting systems become more sophisticated, the needincreases for a system that accurately provides an on-line overview onwhere plants (or plant batches) are standing in the greenhouse andcharacteristics of those plants.

It is one object of the invention to provide improved apparatus and/orprocess for handling of containers containing plants.

It is another object of the invention to provide apparatus and orprocess for improved breeding of plants.

It is another object of the invention to provide improved apparatusand/or process for conducting an operation to obtain digital images ofplants.

The invention provides in one of its aspects apparatus suitable for usein conjunction with a container in which one or more plants is growingand having associated with it a device for receiving an enquiry signaland automatically responding by transmitting an unique identifier signalthe apparatus comprising

-   -   a) transporter means by which a container may be supported for        moving a container,    -   b) means for transmitting the enquiry signal,    -   c) means for recording the identifier signal as a digital output        and    -   d) computer means to which the digital output is supplied for        storage of the data in prescribed format in a database for        manipulation to afford comparison of data related to the        container.

The word |comprising| where used herein is intended to encompass thenotion of |including| and the notion of |consisting essentially of|.

In apparatus according to the invention the enquiry and identifiersignals are preferably radio signals. Conveniently, the device forreceiving an enquiry signal and automatically responding by transmittingan unique identifier signal consists of a copper coil, which acts as asmall antenna and a chip, which stores information. Such devices arehereinafter referred to as transponders. The means for transmitting theenquiry signal comprises one or more transmitters located at knownpositions. Preferably the, or each transmitter comprises a larger aerialand sends radio waves towards the transponder. The small antenna of thetransponder captures this and uses the energy generated for its ownresponse. The transponder chip recognizes the radio signal and transmitsits unique identifier signal by sending information programmed in it.This could be a simple unique code but also more information if the chipis equipped for this, but we have found that transponders of a verysimple type are sufficient. The unique identifier signal is captured byone or more of the aerials of the transmitters, which sends thisidentifier to the computer means.

In one preferred apparatus arranged to support an array of containers inthe form of pots containing plants, several transmitters are employed atknown locations and the apparatus and its computer means is organized toenable identification of the location of the pot. In this preferredapparatus the transporter means comprises a plurality of co-extensivestorage transporters each providing support for a row of several pots,the storage transporters being disposed adjacent one another to supportrows of pots in a horizontally disposed array. Each storage transportercomprises a channel member secured in desired parallel relation toadjacent channel members and an endless belt located with an uppersurface lying in the channel member and arranged to be drawn along thechannel. Each belt supports a row of closely spaced pots. In thispreferred apparatus, the channel members are situated with their endportions proximate to transfer conveyor means in the form of a beltconveyor located transversely to the channel members to accept ordeliver pots from or to the belts. Preferably the apparatus comprisesmeans for operating the belts as desired. When a belt is moved in onedirection, the row of pots supported on that belt is moved towards afirst transfer station at which an endmost pot of the row is transferredto the transfer conveyor. When moved in the other direction the beltmoves the row of pots supported on that belt away from the transferconveyor. Preferably, the apparatus comprises means for operating thetransfer conveyor to move a pot supported on it to the second transferstation or to a workstation from which it may be transferred ontoanother storage transporter belt. In this preferred form of apparatusshuttle robots are employed to actuate movement of the belts in thechannel members. The shuttle robots actuate the belts and by doing sothey allow the plants to be transported to or from the transfer conveyorbelt. Aerials of the transmitters are mounted on the shuttle robots andtransmit to the computer means information about the identity of thechannel member in front of which they are standing. Transponder readerson the shuttle robots transmit to the computer means information aboutwhich transponder-tagged plant pots are passing by the robot. Thecombined information on channel member and the identity of the potsallows to reconstruct an on-line overview of where each plant is locatedon the transporter means. Apparatus according to the invention may bearranged so that the shuttle robots are actuated in response to datacontained in the database so as to move a pot from one location toanother.

This preferred form of apparatus thus embodies a warehousing system forplants (for example in a greenhouse) that provides an on-line overviewof the location of individual plants in the array of plants. Theprinciple of the system is that each plant container is labeled with atransponder and that these transponders are read by transponder readerspositioned along the transporting system. The information on thegeographical location of the readers together with the identity of thetransponders that pass by the readers permit an overview of the positionof the plants in the greenhouse.

Apparatus according to the invention may comprise a workstation at whichan operation is performed on the plant or plants in the container and ifdesired the operation may be performed automatically. Individualidentification of plants allows for automated handling to bedifferentiated according to the plant's identity, and furthermore allowsto keep track of the history of particular handlings for each individualplant. Examples of automatic operations for plant handling in agreenhouse setting include transplanting of young plants from smaller tolarger containers, sorting of plants according to particularmorphological parameters (e.g. size), pruning of plants, harvesting ofparticular parts of plants (e.g. flowers, fruits, seeds, leaves),supporting plants with the aid of sticks planted in the container andpackaging of plants or plant containers. In one aspect, transmission ofthe identifier signal of the container presented at the workstation mayactuate the means for performing the operation.

A second preferred apparatus hereinafter described comprises aworkstation at which an imaging operation is performed on the plant orplants in the container. In this apparatus, transmission of theidentifier signal by the transponder of the container presented at theworkstation actuates the imaging means for performing the operation.

The apparatus comprises transporter means by which a container in theform of a pot containing a plant is moved through an imaging cabinet.The imaging cabinet is shielded from natural daylight. Light inside theimaging cabinet is provided by a standardized set of lamps of which thelight intensity can be controlled. A pusher device at the workstation,inside the cabinet pushes the pot and its plant from the conveyor beltonto a required position on an imaging platform. A transponder readerantenna is mounted in such a way that it only reads the transponder of apot positioned on the imaging platform. The reader of the transpondersends a signal to the software system that controls digital cameras inthe imaging cabinet and thus activates the cameras to take a series ofpictures. These pictures are processed on-line using imaging analysissoftware to extract information on the plants (e.g. height of the plantson the images, number of green pixels, etc.) and the processed data aswell as the images get linked to the transponder tag unique identifierand downloaded to the computer. After the images have been captured, apicking device pushes the plant from the imaging platform onto aconveyor belt of the transporter means which transports the plants outof the imaging cabinet. The speed at which plants are handled in theimaging cabinet can be controlled by adjusting the speed of the conveyorbelts and the picking devices.

The imaging device described above could be combined with otherautomation devices such as for instance a “sorting device” that sortsplants according to parameters derived from the digital images (e.g.plant height). Other automation devices could perform particular actionson transponder-tagged plants and such actions (e.g. pruning, harvesting,packaging, etc.) could be differentiated according to the informationlinked in a database to the transponder tag of the pot in which theplant is growing.

This apparatus operates in an unattended and fully automated way. It maybe used in the phenotype of plants for breeding purposes. One maydetermine phenotype parameters of plant growth for example, area,height, width, number of leaves, number of inflorescences and branchingpattern in an objective and quantifiable way. Thus, plants withparticular morphological parameters (that can be derived from digitalimages) may be selected from a population of plants with differentgenetic constitution. The apparatus may be used without humanintervention, and plants may be imaged at a high throughput rate, thusallowing not only imaging of a large population of plants in a shortperiod of time, but also repeated imaging of the same population ofplants so that evolution of the parameters over time may be recorded,both of which are desirable in plant breeding. Information derived fromthe digital images is collected for each individual plant from thepopulation, and stored to allow for downstream data analysis. The uniqueidentifier of each container and the information derived from each plantmay be unambiguously linked to this identifier in the computer means.Preferably the information is stored as such (information on aparticular plant linked to identification tag of the plant) in a digitaldatabase.

The automation devices described handle plants as individuals in a pottagged with a transponder. Plants can also be handled batch-wise inwhich case the transponders label the batch of plants rather than theindividual plant. For instance, plants can be grown with severalindividuals in a large pot or in a tray or in a tray consisting ofphysically connected pots. In this case the transponder is positioned inthe container (large pot, tray, set of connected pots) in which thebatch of plants is grown.

The invention provides in another of its aspects a method for relocatinga container in which one or more plants is growing within a group ofsuch containers in accordance with desired criteria comprisingsupporting the containers with transporter means comprising a pluralityof storage transporters each providing support for a row of severalcontainers in a horizontally disposed array, and a transfer conveyor,there being means for operating each storage transporter to move the rowof containers supported on that transporter towards a first transferstation at which an endmost container of the row may be transferred tothe transfer conveyor means, the method comprising associating with eachcontainer a device which, in response to receipt of an enquiry signalautomatically transmits an unique identifier signal, emitting enquirysignals from known locations and recording the enquiry and identifiersignals as digital output in a database in prescribed format to identifythe location of the container.

The invention provides in another of its aspects a method for imagingand recording characteristics of a plant presented at an operatingstation comprising associating with the plant a device for receiving anenquiry signal and automatically responding thereto by transmitting anunique identifier signal, passing the container automatically to aworkstation at which there is located means for transmitting the enquirysignal, causing the identifier signal to actuate means for imaging theplant and transferring the identifier signal and digital imageinformation as digital output to a database for recording in prescribedformat for manipulation according to desired characteristics.

The invention provides in another of its aspects a container (suitablefor use in apparatus according to the invention or in a method accordingto the invention) comprising a container charged with a medium forgrowing a plant, a single plant rooted in the medium and a transpondersupported in or on the container.

The invention provides in another of its aspects, the use of apparatusaccording to the invention in a greenhouse for the breeding of plants.

In order that the invention may become more clear there now follows adescription to be read with the accompanying drawings of two preferredapparatuses according to the invention selected for description toillustrate the invention by way of example. In the drawings,

FIG. 1 is a view of a plant pot containing a transponder for use in theinvention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of transporter means of the firstillustrative apparatus;

FIG. 3 is a view in perspective of a channel member and conveyor belt ofthe transporter means supporting a plant pot;

FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view of a motorized shuttle of the firstillustrative apparatus;

FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view of a workstation of the secondillustrative apparatus; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of a portion of the apparatus shown in FIG.5.

The first illustrative apparatus is suitable for use in conjunction witha plurality of containers in the form of plant pots (10) (FIG. 1) inwhich one or more plants (12) is growing in a soil selected for thepurpose. Each pot contains a transponder disc device (14) packaged in aplastic wafer and is held in the soil by a peg (16). Each transponder(14) consists of a copper coil, which acts as a small antenna and achip, which stores information and is arranged for receiving an enquirysignal and automatically responding by transmitting an unique identifiersignal. Several transmitters are employed for transmitting enquirysignals to which the transponder discs (14) respond. The apparatus alsocomprises means for recording the identifier signal as a digital outputand computer means (not shown) to which the digital output is suppliedfor storage of the data in prescribed format in a database from which itmay be manipulated to afford comparison of data related to the pots.

The apparatus comprises transporter means (20) (FIG. 2) by which thepots are supported and moved as desired. The transporter means (20)comprises a plurality of co-extensive storage transporters (22) eachproviding support for a row of several pots, the storage transportersbeing disposed adjacent one another to support rows of pots in ahorizontally disposed array. Each storage transporter (22) comprises achannel member provided by a rigid |U|-shaped gutter (24) secured inparallel relation next to adjacent gutters. An endless belt (26)operates within each gutter (FIG. 3) and is located with an uppersurface lying in the gutter and arranged to be drawn along it. Each belt(26) supports a row of closely spaced pots (10). The gutters (24) aresituated with their end portions proximate to a belt conveyor (30) oftransfer conveyor means (28) located transversely to the gutters (24).Each gutter is provided with a transponder (31) (not shown) similar totransponder (14) whereby each gutter is uniquely identifiable by thesignal from its transponder.

Electrically operated shuttle robots (32, 34) are employed to actuatemovement of the belts (26) in the gutters (24). The movement causes thepots to be transported to or from the belt conveyor (30). Motor means isprovided for moving the belt conveyor (30) continuously. When a belt(26) is moved in its gutter in one direction, the row of pots supportedon that belt is moved towards a transfer station at which an endmost potof the row is transferred to the belt conveyor (30). When moved in theother direction the belt (26) moves the row of pots supported on thatbelt away from the belt conveyor (30), allowing space for a pot to beintroduced to the end of that row. Each shuttle robot (32, 34) isarranged for movement along the belt conveyor (30) (FIG. 4) so that itmay communicate with the gutters individually as desired. They are ofsimilar construction and the shuttle robot (34) only is described here.Guide members (36, 38) are provided for guiding pots moving along thebelt conveyor (30). A cylinder (40) of a pneumatically operated pistonand cylinder device is mounted on the shuttle robot between the guidemembers (36, 38) and its piston (42) is arranged for movementhorizontally across and above the belt conveyor (30). In its restposition as shown in FIG. 4, the piston (42) serves to arrest a potdelivered from a gutter by its belt (26). When it is desired to remove apot from the belt conveyor (30), the piston (42) is actuated to push thepot and urge it into the selected gutter (22) in the path shown by arrowA in FIG. 4. The shuttle robot carries two rod shaped transponderantennae (44, 46) which are positioned each side of the shuttle robotand serve as transmitter aerials. Each transmitter sends radio wavestowards the transponders (14). The small antenna of the transponder (14)captures this and uses the energy generated for its own response. Thetransponder chip recognizes the radio signal and transmits its uniqueidentifier signal by sending information programmed in it as a simpleunique code. The unique identifier signal is captured by one or more ofthe aerials (44, 46) of the transmitters, which sends this identifier tothe computer means via decoders. The shuttle robot also carries atransponder reader (48) (not shown) for reading the signals from thetransponders (31) associated with the gutters and these respond in asimilar way to supply information to the computer means about theidentity of the gutter in front of which the shuttle robots are standingthus specifying the precise location of each shuttle robot in relationto the gutters. The shuttle robot also sends to the computer meansinformation concerning the operations which it performs, so that ahistory of its actions may be combined with other information suppliedto the computer means. The information about which pot is passing ashuttle robot and the precise location of the shuttle robot is known andkept in the memory of the computer means enabling one to reconstruct anon-line overview of where each plant is or has been located on thetransporter means.

This first illustrative apparatus is housed in a greenhouse and providesa warehousing system for plants which includes an on-line overview ofthe location of individual plants in the array of plants. In use of theapparatus one knows which plant passes which aerial at which time andwhat action was undertaken at that time i.e. whether filling or emptyinggutters in order to have directional information on any plant movement.Grouping plants in batches facilitates the positioning of certain typesor groups of plants in the greenhouse. Historical positional datacombined with fertilizer and watering data enables an operator of theapparatus to keep track of the nutritional regime of every single plantin the array. The information also enables the operator to schedule allplant movements in the most efficient way.

The apparatus is arranged so that the shuttle robots are actuated inresponse to data contained in the database so as to move a pot from onelocation to another.

In addition, the first illustrative device may comprise a workstation atwhich an operation is performed on the plant or plants in the pot.Further, it may comprise means for performing the operationautomatically, for example, means for sorting of plants according tospecified characteristics, harvesting, imaging, packaging, photographingor pruning.

The second illustrative apparatus shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 comprises aworkstation (58) at which an imaging device (52) may be caused to carryout an imaging operation on a plant (12) in a plant pot (10) (FIG. 1) asthey are fed one by one, for example from conveyor means of the firstillustrative apparatus. A single transmitter (60) (FIG. 6) is employedat the workstation (58) (FIG. 5) for transmitting enquiry signals towhich the transponder discs (14) respond. The apparatus also comprisesmeans for recording the identifier signal as a digital output andcomputer means (not shown) to which the digital output is supplied forstorage of the data in prescribed format in a database from which it maybe manipulated to afford comparison of data related to the plants in thepots.

The workstation comprises an imaging cabinet having walls (54, 56) whichserve to shield the interior from natural daylight. Light inside theimaging cabinet is provided by a standardized set of lamps (70) of whichthe light intensity can be controlled. The imaging device comprises twodigital cameras disposed one above another and focused on the positionoccupied by a plant delivered to a rotatable work support in the form ofa circular plate (68) adjacent which the transmitter is located. Onecamera has a 35 mm lens and is mounted 20 cm above the level of soil inthe pot for observation of plants up to 36 cm high and the other has a 9mm lens mounted 65 cm above the level of soil in the pot for observationof plants up to 135 cm high. A set of up to six images are taken as thepot is rotated through a predetermined angle of rotation.

The apparatus comprises transporter means (FIG. 5) by which the pots aresupported and moved through the workstation one by one. The transportermeans comprises a first belt conveyor (which is an extension of the beltconveyor (30) of the first illustrative apparatus), a second beltconveyor (64) running transversely of the first belt conveyor, a thirdbelt conveyor (66) running parallel to the second belt conveyor (64) anda fourth belt conveyor (67) running parallel to the first belt conveyor(30).

Picking devices (72, 74, 76) are positioned to move pots from the beltconveyor (30) to the belt conveyor (64), from the belt conveyor (64) tothe circular plate (68) and from the circular plate to the belt conveyor(66). Each picking device comprises a pneumatically operated piston andcylinder device of which the cylinder is secured to a frame of theapparatus. A curved arm (78) secured to the piston of the picking device(72) is positioned to be drawn across an end portion of the beltconveyor (30) to transfer a pot onto the belt conveyor (64). An |L|shaped arm (80) secured to the piston of the picking device 74 ispositioned for movement across the belt conveyor (64) and serves toarrest movement of the pot and push it onto the circular plate (68). A|U| shaped arm (82) secured to the piston of the picking device (76) isarranged for movement to dislodge the pot from the circular plate ontothe belt conveyor (66). An optical sensor (84) is positioned adjacentthe picking device (72) detects the presence of a pot and stops itsmovement whilst a pot is in position on the circular plate (68). Anoptical sensor (86) positioned adjacent the picking device (72) detectspots passing on the belt conveyor (64) and is arranged to stop the beltconveyor (64) if this sensor is activated for more than a certain periodof time commensurate with the passage of a properly oriented pot andthus stops the system if, for example, an overturned pot is passing thissensor (86). An optical sensor (88) is located adjacent the pickingdevice (74) and serves to actuate the picking device (74) to push a potfrom the belt conveyor (64) onto the circular plate (68).

The transmitter comprises a flat transponder antenna (60) fixed to theframe of the apparatus, adjacent the circular plate (68), between theplate and the imaging device (52). The antenna (60) extends no higherthan a pot on the circular plate (68) so that it does not obstruct theimage of the plant in the pot taken by the imaging device (52).

In use of the second illustrative apparatus, pots containing plants tobe imaged are delivered to the belt conveyor (30) and transferred one byone to the belt conveyor (64) by operation of the picking device (78).The picking device (74) is operated to push the pot and its plant fromthe belt conveyor (64) onto the circular plate (68) and the platerotates through 360° . Antenna (60) sends radio waves towards thetransponder (14) in the pot as it reaches the plate (68). The smallantenna of the transponder (14) captures this and uses the energygenerated for its own response. The chip of transponder (14) recognizesthe radio signal and transmits its unique identifier signal by sendinginformation programmed in it as a simple unique code. The uniqueidentifier signal is captured by the antenna (60) which sends thisidentifier to the computer means via decoders. The antenna (60) ismounted in such a way that it reads only the transponder (14) of a pot(10) positioned on the plate (68). The identifier of the transponder(14) is captured several times as the circular plate is rotated with thepot and plant supported thereon. Also, the reader of the transponder(60) sends a signal to the software system that controls the digitalcameras in the imaging cabinet and activates the cameras to take aseries of pictures. These pictures are processed on-line using imaginganalysis software to extract information on the plants (e.g. height ofthe plants on the images, number of green pixels, etc.) and theprocessed data as well as the images are linked to the transponderunique identifier and downloaded to the computer means.

After the images have been captured, the picking device (76) pushes thepot from the circular plate onto belt conveyor (66) of the transportermeans which transports the plants out of the imaging cabinet fortransfer to the belt conveyor (67) and return to the gutters. The speedat which plants are handled in the imaging cabinet can be controlled byadjusting the speed of the conveyor belts and the picking devices.

1. Apparatus suitable for use in conjunction with a container in whichone or more plants is growing, the container having a associated with ita device for receiving an enquiry signal and automatically responding bytransmitting an unique identifier signal wherein the enquiry andidentifier signals are radio signals, the apparatus comprising: (a) aworkstation at which an operation is automatically performed on theplant or plants or on the growing medium in the container. (b) means fortransporting the container to the workstation, said means comprising aplurality of co-extensive storage transporters each providing supportfor a row of several containers, the storage transporters being disposedadjacent one another to support rows of containers in a horizontallydisposed array and to co-operate with a transfer conveyor locatedadjacent and transversely to an end portion of each storage tranporter;(c) means for transmitting the enquiry signal; (d) means for recordingthe identifier signal as a digital output; and (e) means for storing thedigital output as data in perscribed format in a database formanipulation to afford comparsion of the data related to the container.2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the means for transmitting theenquiry signal comprises a plurality of transmitters located in thestorage transporters and each transmitting an unique enquiry signal. 3.Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the means for storing the digitaloutput is organizied to enable identification of the location of thecontainer by reference to the enquiry and identifier signals and toinformation about the location of the transmitters.
 4. Apparatusaccording to claim 3 comprising means for operating a storagetransporter to move a row of containers supported thereon towards afirst transfer station at which an endmost container of the row istransferred to the transfer conveyor, and means for moving the storagetransporter to move the row of containers supported thereon away from asecond transfer station.
 5. Apparatus according to claim 4 comprisingmeans for operating the transfer conveyor to move the containersupported thereon to a second-transfer station or to a workstation. 6.Apparatus according to claim 4 or 5 wherein the means for operating astorage transporter and the means for operating the transfer conveyorare actuated in response to data contained in the database so as to movethe container from the one location to another.
 7. Apparatus accordingto claim 1 comprising means for performing an operation automatically onthe plant or plants presented at the workstation.
 8. Apparatus accordingto claim 7 wherein the means for performing an operation automaticallyon the plant or plants presented at the workstation is selected form thegroup consisting of means for sorting of plants according to specifiedcharacteristics, harvesting, imaging, packaging, photographing andpruning.
 9. Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein transmission of theidentifier signal of the container presented at the workstation actuatesthe means for performing the operation.
 10. Apparatus according to claim7 comprising camera means for performing said operation by obtaining oneor more digital images of the plant or plants in the container presentat the work station.
 11. Apparatus according to claim 10 wherein theworkstation comprises a work support mounted for rotation when acontainer is supported thereon and the images are obtained. 12.Apparatus according to claim 10 comprising algorithm means fortranposing the digital images into a form in which selected criteria ofthe plant or plants in the container may be evaluated.
 13. Apparatusaccording to claim 7 further comprising means for recording that theoperation has been performed and supplying the record in digital formatto the computer database.
 14. Apparatus is according to claim 7comprising a conveyor on which a container is transported towards theworkstation and means for urging the container from the conveyor intothe position at the workstation.
 15. Apparatus according to claim 14comprising a conveyor on which a container may be carried away from theworkstation and means for urging the container from the workstation ontothis conveyor.
 16. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the containercontains a single plant.
 17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein data insaid database is derived from recording characteristics of a plantpresented at an operating station, said plant having an associateddevice for receiving an enquiry signal and automatically respondingthereto by transmitting an unique identifier signal, passing thecontainer comprising said plant automatically to a workstation at whichthere is located means for transmitting the enquiry signal, causing theidentifier signal to actuate means for performing an operation on theplant or plants in the container and transferring the identifier signaland information concerning the operation on the plant or plants in thecontainer as digital output to a database for recording in prescribedformat for manipulation according to desired characteristics.